kidder



Nov.- 2 192e.

CLAMPING 'DEVICE FOR CAR UNLUADERS Original 'Filed March-19, 1925 Sheets-Sheet 1 f/zUe/f far Nav. 2 1926.

E. H. KIDDERv CLAMPING' DEVICFI FOR CAR UNLOADERS Original Filed March 19Y l1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 2, 192e..` ,f 1,605,659

' E. H. KIDDER CLAMPING DEVICFE FOR CAR UNLOADERS .originan Filed March 19. 1925 s sheets-sheet ffii/anim.

patented Nov. 2, i925.

ELWITAT H. L'DDER, OF CHCAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 LINK-BELT COMPANY, OF CHCAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

gia.

GLA'MPNG DEVICE EUR CAR UNLOADERS.

Application filed. March 19, 1925, Serial No. 16,617. Renewed September 24, 1926.

My invention relates to improvements in track B is a short jaw clamp B2 and slidable clamping device for car unloaders and ein on the track B1 is a long jaw clamp B2. Asbodies a clamping device which will operate sociated with the bracket for one of the roll- 55 automatically to clamp a car on the unloaders A2 is a stop bracket B4 adapted to be ing frame when the frame or cradle rotates engaged by a lifting carriage B40 floating to dump the car. One object of my invenon the ring` frame. B5 is a lifting rope eX- tion is to provide such a device as Will be tending from the lifting carriage B4D over easily and conveniently operated, will be ausheaves BG B7 at thebottom of the ring 60 tomatic in its operation and will always frame and B8 B2 at the top and terminating lo exert a sulicient amount of power to insure in an equalizer carriage B1". Extending proper functioning of the apparatus. @ther from the lever B11 on the equalizer carriage objects of my invention will appear from is the long clamp lifting rope B12 which time to time in the specification and claims. passes over a sheave B13 and a sheave B14 65 My invention is illustrated. more or less and is anchored on the long jaw clamp B3 v15 diagrammatically in the accompanying B15 is a short aw clamp lifting rope extenddrawings, whereining from the end of the lever B11 over a Figure 'l is a side elevation of the unloadsleeve B16 to the short jaw clamp B2. rl`hus er; when the cradle is in the upright position, 70

Figure 2 is a section along` the line 2 2 of the liftingcarriage will have engaged the 2o Figure l showing the clamp mechanism in stop bracket and will have been held against elevation; and further movement so as to draw out the liftlligure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 ing rope and lift both the long and short showing the unloader in partlyT rotating pojaw clamp. l/Vhen the cradle is rotated in a 75 sition with the clamp in operation. counter clockwise direction, the lifting car- Like parts are indicated by like charaoriage B40 will travel on its rollers B17 along ters throughout the speciiication and drawthe track B12 toward the sheave BG and perings mit the clamps to descend under the force of A. is a cradle mounted on a plurality of gravity until they engage or rest upon the so ring frames A1, which frames travel on rolltop of the car, the parts being so positioned ers n.2 adapted to be rotated to rota-13o the that this descent of the clamps and their enring frame and cradle by means of power gagement with the car will have been comapplied tl'irough a drive shaft A3. A4 iS a pleted before the cradle rotates far enough transfer table supported on rollers A5, A5 to unseat the car from the track rails on 85 by means of inclined wedge blocks A6, A.6 on which it stands.

the cradle. A7 A7 are car tracks on the C is the clamp holding rope. It is transfer table adapted to support a car A2. anchored at one end through a relieving rlhere may be two or more of the ring spring C1, and to the short jaw clamp B2.

frames, depending on the length of the cra- It passes over the sheaves C2 and C3 to a 90 die and the length of the cars to be dumped sheave CAi on an equalizer sheave carriage 40 thereby. Associated with each of these ring C5, thence over a sheave CG to an equalizer frames is an automatic clamping device spring C7 anchored on the long jaw clamp vrwhich forms the subject matter of the pres- B3. The equalizer carriage C5 is slidable ent invention. Thisautomatic clamping dealong the tracks C2G and a rope C27 leads vice is adapted to come down and grip the from this carriage over a sheave C2 and is top of the car body and hold it on the tracks wound about a drum C. C10 is a lowering so that when the cradle is rotated and the car counterweight adapted to travel in the counis t rned upside down with the dumping, the terweight housing C11. It is suspended by car will be held in place without leaving the a counterweight rope C12, which passes over 100 rails. The clamping arrangement is the a sheave C13 and is Wound about the drum same for each ring frame and a description C9. C14 is a brake band wound about a of one, of course, suflices for all. brake drum C3", on the same shaft as the B1 are guide tracks. Slidable on the drum C2, and adapted to be gripped upon the brake drinn by means of the lever D which is p'ivoted as by means of the shaft D1.

One end of the brake band is secured as at D2 `to the short arm of the lever and the other is secured as at D"l to the opposite arm of the lever. Secured to the outer end of the lever is a pinDtheinner end of which is formed with a plug D5 adapted to move longitudinally within the cylindrical spring casing D6 which is pivoted to the frame as at D7. DS is aspiral spring coiled within said casing and compressed between the plug D5 and the lower end D9 of the spring casing. D1O is asecondary leveralso in rigid relation with the shaft D1. Pivoted to its outer end is the elongated link or rod D11, the opposite end of which is pivoted as at D12 to one arm of the bell crank lever D13. The opposite end of the bell crank lever carries a roller D1* which normally engages a cam track D15 mounted on any suitable frame members D16 which are secured to the foundations as at D11. The upper end of the cam track is curved or inclined outwardly as at D18.

The purpose of this coui'iterweight and drum is to draw the holding rope tight when the rotation of the c adle permits the clamps to descend. The arrangement is such that as the cradle rotates after the clamps have been drawn down against the top of the car, and as soon as the roller D14 rides over the end of the cam track D15, the spring I)8 is released and moves the lever D in clockwise direction. as shown in FigureQ and thereby creates a tension in the brake band and holds the drum against rotation. The clamps B2 Ba are thus held in holding position against the weight of the car when it turns over. The relieving` springs C1 and C1 permit a sufcient amount of play and resiliency to insure smooth operation and protect the apparatus `from shock.

It will be evident that while I have shownr in my drawings an operative device, still many changes might be made in the size, shape and disposition of parts without departing materially from the spirit of my invention and I wish, therefore, that my showing be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

A gondola car to be dumped is run onto the tracks on the transfer table while the cradle and associated parts are in the upright position. The cradle is then rotated in a counter Vclockwise direction and the car and transfer table will move to the left through a limited excursion with respect to the cradle when it comes to rest against the side thereof. This rotation will continue with the lifting carriage remaining at rest with respect to the stop bntmoviiig in the cradle until the clamps have travelled down to engage the car as the sheave at the bottom of the ring frame approaches the stop carriage. This downward movement of the clamps will be assisted by the pull on the (,'ounterweight which winds up the holding rope on the drum so that this rope .is taut at all times. As soon as the clamps settle down on the top of the car7 they can move no further and the cradle will continue to rotate, and the holding rope will beheld tight. Upon further rotation the roller D1'1 rides beyond the end of the cani track D15 and the spring Ds rotates the brake lever D in clockwise direction about its pivot and exerts a tension on the brake band C11. This tension will be exerted before the cradle has turned far enough to cause the weight of the car to be lifted from the rails. As the rotation continues` the car will gradually turn over until practically its entire weightis carried by the clamps. the brake band holding the drum against rotation. The parts remain in this posi tion until the car has gone around far enough to be dumped.

The car after being dumped will be returned by a return rotation of the cradle. As it rotates back, and when the roller D11 engages the inclined portion D1S of the cam track D15 the bell crank lever D13 will ie rotated..y exerting a downward pull on the rod D11, and through the lever D10, depressing the lever D in opposition to the spring D8. The tension on the brake band D11 is thereby relieved. Then the lifting carriage will engage its stop and a tension will beeXerted on the clamp lifting ropes andthe clamps will finally be raised to the top of the cradle. drawing in on the brake drum and raising the counterweight and freeing the car. The car can then be removed from the transfer table and the cradle is ready for the next dumping operation.

I claim:

l. In a rotar)7 car dumpejr. a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted tol hold a car thereon, and clamp holding mean-1: comprising a drum.l a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, and a brake adapted to lock the drum, a brake actuating lever pivoted on the cradle. spring means adapted normally to move said lever into brake actuating position. and means for resisting said movement when the cradle is in car receiving position.

2. In a rotary Car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a. clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, and clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, and a brakefadapted to lock the drum, a brake actuating lever pivoted on the cradle, spring .means adapted normallyto move said lever into brake actuating position, and means lli for resisting said movement when thecradle is in car receiving position, comprising a cam member associated with said lever and an opposed cam member mounted adjacent said cradle.

3. In a rotary car dumper, rotary car supporting` cradle. a clamp adapted to holt a car thereon, and clamp supporting means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, a brake adapted to lock the drum, a brake controlling mechanism adapted normally to hold said brake in operative position` and means adapted to resist the action of said mechanism when the cradle is in or near car receiving position.

4C. ln a rotary car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, a brake band adapted to surround said drum, a lever to which said band is secured, yielding means adapted normally to rotate said lever into tension exerting position, and means for resisting said movement of the lever when the cradle is in or near car receiving` position.

5. In a rotary car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, a brake band adapted to surround said drum, a lever to which said band is secured, yielding means adapted normally to rotate said lever Vinto tension exerting position, and means for resisting said movement of the lever when the cradle is in or near car receiving position, comprising a cam member associated with said lever and an opposed cam member positioned adjacent the cradle.

G. ln a rotary car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, a brake band adapted to surround said drum, a lever to which said band is secured, yielding means adapted normally to rotate said lever into tension exerting position, and means for resisting said movement ofthe lever when the cradle is in or near car receiving position, comprising a bell crank lever mounted on the cradle, a connection between one arm o'lsaid bell crank lever, and the brake band lever, and a cam member`mounten "adjacent the cradle and adapted to enrage the opposite arm ot said bell crank lever.

i' 7. ln a rotary car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading Jfrom the clamp and wound about the drum, a brake band adapt-,ed to surround said drum, a lever to which said band is secured, yielding means adapted normally to rotate said lever into tension exerting position, and means 'for resisting said movement ot the lever when the cradle is in or near car receiving position, comprising a bell crank lever mounted on the cradle, a tension connection between one arm of said bell crank lever and the brake band lever, a cam track mounted adjacent the cradle, and a roller on the other arm of the bell crank lever adapted to engage said cam track.

8. ln a rotary car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about. the drum, a brake band adapted to surround said drum, a lever to which said band is secured, a cylindrical guide pivoted adjacent said spring, a stem axially movable along said guide, a connection between said stem and the brake lever, and yielding means adapted normally to move said stem along said guide, to rotate said lever into braking position.

9. ln a rotary car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, a brake band adapted to surround said drum, a lever to which said band is secured, a cylindrical guide pivoted adjacent said spring, a stem axially movable along said guide, a connection between said stem and the brake lever, and yielding means adapted normally to move said stem along said guide, to rotate said lever into braking position, and means for resisting said movement of the lever when the cradle is in or near car receiving position.

10. In a rotary car dumper, a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon, clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and wound about the drum, a brake band adapted to surround said drum, a lever to which said band is secured, a cylindrical guide pivoted adjacent said spring, a stem axially movable along said guide, a connection between said stem and the brake lever, and yielding means adapted normally to move said stem along said guide, to rotate said lever into braking position, and aeans for resisting said movement of the lever when the cradle is in or near lcar receiving position, comprising opposed cam members, one mounted on the cradle and associated with said lever, and the other positioned adjacent said cradle.

ll. In a rotary car dumper,A a rotary car supporting cradle, a clamp adapted to hold a car thereon and clamp holding means comprising a drum, a cable leading from the clamp and Wound about the drum, a counterweight cable Wound aboutfthe drum, a oounterweight carried thereby and adapted to rotate the drum to keep the clamp cable tight,y abrake adapted to lock the drum7 a brake actuating lever pivoted on the cradle, spring means adapted normally to move said nsoageoo lever into brake actuating position, and means forresisting said spring means when theeradle is in car receiving position.

Signed at Chicago, county .of Cook and State of Iliinois, this 10th day nof March,

' EDWIN H. kKIDDIJR. 

